Merry Christmas, Darling
by lovecamedown
Summary: Maddy and Rhydian share their first Christmas together in Canada. Finding and decorating the Christmas tree, Christmas shopping and the day itself, they're in for a fun and happy ride. :) / Fluff. One-shot. / Merry Christmas!


**_Disclaimer:_** _I do not own Wolfblood._

 **A/N:** _Fluffy, happy Maddian at Christmas. What more could we want? :)_

* * *

"Have you ever even chopped down a tree before, dad?" Maddy asked, sounding slightly dubious. All four of them were walking through the woods near their house in Canada, snow on the ground and their breath clouding in front of them every time they breathed out.

"Yes, actually," Dan answered, "I did a lot of this kind of work when I was younger, before getting in to carpentry. It was my job for a few years."

"I'm glad someone knows what they're doing," Rhydian said good-heartedly. He was walking beside Maddy with his hand in hers.

Maddy laughed. "Oh, and did we measure how tall the roof is? Don't want to chop a tree down and then realise it doesn't actually fit in the house…"

"We've done everything we need to, Maddy," Emma reassured. "Don't worry about it."

Just minutes later they reached the part of the woods that was made up of just the type of tree they wanted; luckily, it wasn't far from their house so together with their pull along trailer they had bought a few months ago, they should've had no trouble bringing it back inside again.

"What about that one?" Maddy suggested, pointing at a tree with pinecones on the edge of each branch.

"The pinecones make it hard to hang baubles on it," Emma replied.

Maddy pouted. "But I like the pinecones. They're traditional."

"They'll die and fall off."

She rolled her eyes. "Charming."

The trees smelled amazing and they made Maddy want to go home and make mince pies and wrap presents and do all things festive. It was hard for them this year to not be back home – it was Maddy's first ever Christmas away from Stoneybridge – and to be away from friends, but they were determined to make it as good as possible.  
There was a time when Maddy didn't even think Rhydian would be there for her first Christmas in Canada, and so she was really very grateful that he could be here with her. It wouldn't have been the same without him.

"Guys, can we hurry up and choose a tree, I'm freezing my bum off out here." Maddy complained, although she was still walking around and inspecting trees. Back home, they used to go to a tree farm where all the trees would be pre-cut, and none of them were quite as fabulous as the trees out here in their natural habitat.

"Jump up and down on the spot," Rhydian suggested, a smirk behind his voice. "It'll warm you up."

Maddy raised her eyebrows at him, so Rhydian started doing it himself; jumping up and down, his hands in his pockets, grinning playfully at her.

"It works!" Rhydian laughed.

Rolling her eyes, Maddy joined in. After a minute or so, she had to agree with him. "It actually does."

"Told you."

"But it's distracting me from choosing a tree, so stop it."

"Alright, alright, I was only trying to help."

Maddy rolled her eyes playfully and flashed him a grin before turning around and walking over to a nice looking tree.

Eventually, after another half an hour or so, they found the perfect tree. It was a lovely blue-green colour with a few mini pinecones on it, but not too many, and some of the edges of the needles were naturally white as though covered in frost. It was like a tree from a magazine; the perfect, triangular shape. It was going to look lovely.

When they got it back to the house, Rhydian and Dan put it in place in the corner of their open plan living room, kitchen and diner whilst Emma and Maddy went to fetch the fairy lights and decorations.

"You're colour theme-ing the tree?" Rhydian asked as he peered inside the boxes of baubles.

"Yes. We always do." Maddy reached in and grabbed her favourite one – it was pretty big and red with white polka dots and a gold top – and admired it as she brought it out.

"I think it'll look rather cosy." Dan said.

"Me, too." Rhydian agreed, smiling at Maddy.

"Right, let's get started! Rhydian, will you help me put the lights on?" Emma asked.

"Sure."

After a bit of a wrestle with the fairy lights and trying to get them spread evenly throughout the tree, the four of them set to work putting the decorations on. They were sticking to a theme of reds, golds and silvers, and once it was finished, they all stepped back to admire their hard work.

"I think it looks wonderful." Maddy said, smiling up at the tree. Rhydian looked over to her and her face was being lit up by the glow of the fairy lights. A small smile broke out on to his face.

Moving closer to her, he put his arm around her waist and looked back up at the tree. "It does."

"Agreed." Dan said.

Maddy rested her head against Rhydian's chest and put her arm around him in return.

"Hot chocolate, anyone?" Emma asked with a smile. "We have cream and marshmallows…"

" _ME!_ " Maddy and Rhydian shouted at the same time, snapping their attention away from the tree and to the kitchen.

Emma laughed. "Don't _all_ jump at once. There's plenty for everyone."

* * *

"Mads," Rhydian said softly as Maddy walked past his bedroom door. She stopped walking, took a few steps back, and then turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Wait there. I got you something. 2 secs." He said, pushing himself off his bed and walking towards her.

Maddy smiled. "What is it?"

Reaching in to his chest of drawers, Rhydian pulled out the little sprig of mistletoe. When he presented it to Maddy, he grinned as her face lit up and her lips spread in to a huge smile.

"Mistletoe!" Maddy exclaimed. "Aw, thanks, Rhydian. I love it."

"You're welcome." Grinning, Rhydian held it above them, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows, and Maddy laughed. She grabbed the lapels of his shirt and pulled him in, kissing him softly on the lips.

"Where shall we put it?" She asked once she'd pulled away, her forehead against his.

Rhydian kissed her again before answering. "Above your bedroom door?"

"Good idea."

Instead of moving straight away to hang it up, the both of them stayed where they were, except this time, Rhydian put his arm down and then wrapped it around her waist, pulling her closer and kissing her deeper. Maddy brought her hands around his neck, pushing her fingers in to the hair at the back of his head. She felt Rhydian smile against her lips before he kissed her again.

Minutes later, as much as they wanted to carry on, Maddy pulled away.

"Alright, we should stop before my parents come up," she whispered—very quietly, making sure that _only_ Rhydian could hear her. "As much as I _want_ to carry on." Her lips were red and so were Rhydian's cheeks.

He grinned, bringing his thumb up to stroke her cheek. "Never a moment alone."

Maddy sighed. She kissed his nose.

"My nose?"

"Yes."

"Why my nose?"

"I like your nose. Did you not want me to kiss your nose?"

Smirking, Rhydian pulled her even closer and leaned in to kiss _her_ nose. "No. I liked it, actually."

"Good." She kissed it again, and then his lips, and just as he went to deepen the kiss, she had to drag herself away.

Looking up at him without moving her head, Maddy took his hand in hers and gently pulled on it.

"Let's hang the mistletoe up," She said quietly, taking him in the direction of her room. "I have some string somewhere."

* * *

"Rhydian, bear in mind that whatever we send to the guys back home will have to be small?" Maddy reminded Rhydian. So far, everything Rhydian had spotted for any of their friends back in England had been too big to send via air mail (or at least, too big to send within their price range).

Rhydian sighed. "I know."

They were walking through the Christmas market in the cute little town just a few miles from their house. It was snowing, and it was busy but not so busy that you couldn't move. There were lights strung all over the place, Christmas music was playing in the background, and at least every other person in the crowd was wearing some kind of Christmas jumper and/or hat. (Maddy and Rhydian included. Maddy was wearing her Christmas jumper and she'd made Rhydian wear a Christmas hat).

"I'm thinking maybe a nice necklace for Shannon. What do you think for Tom?"

"I honestly have no idea," Rhydian said. "I'm hopeless with presents."

"Me too."

"Wow, what a great team we make."

Maddy laughed and wrapped her arm around his waist. She looked all around her, admiring the snow on the rooftops and the smell of Christmas that was coming from all of the stalls.

"I love Christmas," Maddy said happily.

Rhydian looked down at her, a smile on his lips. "I know. You look happy."

"I am."

He smiled and pulled her closer.

They walked around and shopped for a while. Maddy bought presents for her parents and Shannon and Jana, and Rhydian managed to buy something for Maddy without her knowing. By the time they'd finished they were both cold and in need of a hot drink to wrap their hands around, so they shuffled in to the little coffee shop on the corner and chose a table right at the back after ordering two large hot chocolates.

"I know it used to get cold in Stoneybridge, but nothing could have prepared me for this kind of cold," Maddy commented, her hands wrapped firmly around the big mug of hot chocolate.

"It's freezing," Rhydian agreed. "I'm actually kind of glad you made me wear this hat, Mads."

Maddy smiled over at him. She hooked her leg over his underneath the table. "I'm glad you're appreciating it. It's the warmest hat I have.… And it suits you." She grinned playfully.

Rhydian chuckled. "Yeah. It looks so good, right? I think I might make it a regular fashion decision."

Maddy laughed, picking up her mug to take a sip. "You make me laugh."

Smiling, Rhydian took a sip of his drink too. "I know." And once both of their mugs were on the table, Rhydian reached out and took her hand in his across the table.

"How are your hands still so warm?" Maddy asked incredulously, looking down at his hand. He'd been absentmindedly stirring his hot chocolate, but he looked at his own hand when she spoke, and shrugged.

"I don't know. They always stay warm."

"They do. It's weird."

"It's good, Mads. I'd rather that than hands that get cold like yours."

"Shan's hands were always the worst," Maddy said, sticking her teaspoon in her mouth to get the hot chocolate off it. When she put it down again, she continued. "I remember once, when we were up on the moors, she took off her gloves and her hands were like ice. I had to warm them up."

"I think the wolf helps keep us warm," Rhydian said quietly.

"Oh, definitely. But sometimes my hands just break through that and I'm merely human."

Laughing, Rhydian squeezed her hand. "I noticed."

* * *

A few days passed, and soon it was Christmas Eve.  
Maddy and her mum were sitting at the kitchen table preparing some food for tomorrow's Christmas dinner, festive music playing quietly in the background and the fairy lights on the tree creating a homely glow throughout the room.

Rhydian and Dan had been out getting some last minute things and, when they got back, they smiled when they smelled the food that was being cooked.

"It smells good in here," Dan said, putting their bags down on the coffee table in the living room.

"Thanks," Emma smiled. He walked over and kissed her on the forehead.

Rhydian walked over to Maddy after he'd put everything down. She looked up at him with a smile on her face.

"What you making?" He asked. Leaning on the table with his hand, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips before looking down at the food.

"Stuffing. And we're preparing some vegetables. Oh, and you can probably smell some of the desert we made for tomorrow too."

"I can, but it doesn't smell like Christmas cake?"

"Well...none of us like Christmas cake, do we?" Maddy asked. Rhydian shook his head, smirking. "So we're not making it. We're having chocolate pots instead."

Rhydian grinned excitedly. " _Yes_."

Maddy smiled up at him for a moment and then looked down to the table again, continuing to chop the vegetables.

"Can I help you guys?" Rhydian asked a few minutes later. "Help chop things, do the washing up…"

"If you could finish chopping these Brussels sprouts for me, that'd be great, Rhydian. I'll get started on the washing up."

"Sure."

Once Emma had stood up, Rhydian washed his hands, grabbed an apron from the hook on the wall and sat next to Maddy.

"Mam, why do we have Brussels sprouts?" Maddy asked.

"Your dad likes them."

"But why do we have so _many_?"

"Your dad _really_ likes them."

Maddy looked over to her dad who was in the living room and raised an eyebrow.

He chuckled, shrugging one shoulder. "I really like Brussels sprouts."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Maddy looked away. "You're weird, dad."

"Hey, I don't mind Brussels sprouts," Rhydian said.

"What?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Vaughan used to make them all the time. I learned to actually like them in the end."

" _You_? Liking _Brussels sprouts_?" Maddy questioned, incredulous.

Rhydian looked at her and grinned. "Life's full of surprises."

They prepared food and _ate_ food all evening until 10 O'clock rolled around and they decided it was time to clear up and head for bed. They'd been singing along to Christmas music for two hours and, when 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' started playing, Rhydian surprised Maddy a _lot_ by deciding to give a very loud rendition of it, singing at the top of his lungs. Maddy laughed. Everyone had laughed.

"Who knew you were in to karaoke?" Maddy had said.

And when Emma and Dan had gone to bed, Maddy was still awake and brushing her teeth in the bathroom. On her way back to her room, Rhydian caught her hand in the doorway.

"You weren't going to give me a goodnight kiss?" Rhydian whispered quietly.

"I already did, Rhydian. Get your memory checked." She smiled up at him.

"True, but… _that_ wasn't there before," he pointed up at the mistletoe that was hanging above them. "We put it there for a reason."

Maddy grinned. "How could I forget?" And then she leaned in and left a soft kiss on his lips, letting herself linger there for a few moments.

Rhydian rested his forehead on hers and cupped her cheek with his hand, smoothing his thumb over her cheekbone.

"You look beautiful," Rhydian said. She'd had her eyes closed, but Rhydian had been looking at her, and then she opened her eyes to look at him.

"Yeah, I think these Winnie The Pooh pyjamas really work for me." She smirked.

Grinning, Rhydian leaned in to kiss her again. "I think so too."

Maddy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her so she could kiss him properly. He reciprocated by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer as their lips moved perfectly together.

Trying to avoid being heard too much by her parents, they stumbled a few steps in to Maddy's room and kept kissing, Rhydian bringing his hands up and in to her hair at the back of her neck. They were kissing slowly but greedily. Their cheeks were hot now and neither of them wanted to pull away.

But alas, Maddy pulled away in need of air and rested her forehead on his. She put her hands on his wrists as his fingers smoothed over the skin on her face. They both had their eyes closed.

"I'm glad you're here for Christmas," Maddy whispered quietly. Her voice was almost a breath.

"Me too."

"I'm glad you're here at all." She tightened her grip on his wrists and pressed her forehead further in to his.

Rhydian leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against her cheek, and then her neck. "Me too. I love you, Mads."

"I love you too, Rhydian." Her hands were in his hair now and her face in his neck.

"I kind of wish we could just stay here all night," Maddy whispered in his ear, being extra careful to stay really quiet.

Rhydian smiled gently. "So do I."

"…Don't go."

"I have to, Mads," Rhydian whispered, talking in her ear now too.

Maddy tightened her grip around his neck. She didn't say anything, but Rhydian felt her lips on his neck.

"Mads," Rhydian chuckled, leaving a quick kiss on her temple before pulling away slightly. He rested his forehead against hers again. "I have to go to bed. Your parents will kill me if I don't."

"I know you're right," she said, "but it's Christmas."

"So?" he smirked.

" _So_ , you'd think they'd let up the rules a bit at Christmas."

"Your parents? I doubt it."

Maddy sighed. "Me too."

"I'll see you in the morning, Mads," Rhydian kissed her. "If you wake up early, come through and get me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"I might just do that."

"Go for it."

Grinning, Maddy leaned in to kiss him one last time.

* * *

5am.

"Merry Christmas," Maddy whispered, walking in to Rhydian's room.

Rhydian rolled over sleepily to face the door, squinting over at her. He smiled drowsily. "Merry Christmas."

After closing the door effortlessly quietly, Maddy tip-toed over and pulled back his duvet, beginning to climb in with him.

"Mads, not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing?" Rhydian asked, smirking, still sleepy.

Maddy shuffled in to the bed next to him and pulled the duvet back over them, smiling at the warmth of both the covers and _him_.

"Um…getting in to your bed? It's freezing in the house."

"Mads, your parents…"

"Oh, they'll get over it. If they even find out. It's 5am, Rhydian."

"Really?" Rhydian turned to look at the clock by his bed.

"Sorry…am I too early?"

"No," he whispered. Almost hesitantly, he reached out and put his arm over Maddy's waist, pulling her a little closer. "Are you warm enough?"

Maddy nodded. Her head was resting on his pillow, right opposite his face, and they were so close. They were both smiling softly as Maddy brought her hand up to run through his hair.

"I'm guessing you are," Maddy said, "since when do you sleep shirtless? When you lived with us in Stoneybridge, you never did.…"

"How do you know?" he smirked, absentmindedly playing with the hem of Maddy's pyjama top. "I wore a shirt around the house, but I always slept without one on."

"Oh.… And here I am wearing fleecy PJs with fluffy socks on."

Chuckling softly, Rhydian leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "You look cute."

"Gee, thanks."

"So what time do you think your parents will get up?"

"Probably 8-ish. As usual. They've never been get-up-early-on-Christmas kinds of people."

"So…we have five hours to ourselves."

Maddy smiled. "Yes. Yes we do."

"I would say we could go and have breakfast together, but…I think that might wake them up."

"It's too early for breakfast anyway."

"OK, well then we can just stay here," Rhydian brushed some hair out of her face. "Does that sound good?"

Maddy smiled softly and nodded. She shuffled closer to him, resting her forehead on his. "It sounds amazing."

After a few moments, Rhydian tilted his chin and leaned forward to kiss her. When they pulled away, Maddy shuffled even closer and rested her head in the spot where his neck met his chest. His scent was strong right here, and it made her feel at home. She felt him wrap his arms around her and she did the same to him.

They spent the whole morning like that, just tangled up in each other, falling asleep every now and again and then waking up to kiss and cuddle and talk. Eventually they heard Maddy's parents begin to wake up, so Maddy headed in to the bathroom to shower before they started breakfast.

And when they got downstairs, Dan was cooking breakfast at the stove and Emma was setting the table.

The whole day was wonderful; they opened presents and then started on Christmas lunch. In the afternoon they went for a walk and then came back to watch a Christmas movie, followed by a small dinner.

And then it was suddenly 8pm, and Maddy was up in her room, just about to get changed in to her pyjamas. She was standing in front of her mirror, admiring the necklace that Rhydian had bought her.  
It was a new moon shape, with a star suspended beside it, and in the curve of the moon, "I love you" was engraved.

Maddy absolutely adored it.

Rhydian walked past her bedroom door and stopped when he saw her standing there.

"Hey," Rhydian said softly, walking in to her room. He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, looking at her in the reflection. "You like your necklace then?"

Maddy nodded. "I love it, Rhydian. Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I honestly had no idea you'd gotten it for me," Maddy said. "It was a total surprise."

"That was the idea."

Grinning, Maddy brought her hand up to touch his face, still looking at him through the reflection of the mirror. He kissed her cheek.

"You're really great, you know that, right?" Maddy asked, smiling softly.

Rhydian smiled in return. "So are you."

She ran her hand through his hair and then turned to face him, bringing him in for a quick but soft kiss.

When they pulled away, Rhydian ran his lips along her cheek and her jaw and then settled on her neck, nuzzling his face there for a moment. Maddy did the same and put her face in his neck, breathing in his scent.

When Rhydian moved his head back to look at her, he brushed some hair out of her face.

"Merry Christmas, darling." He said quietly.

Maddy smiled. "Happy Christmas."

And then she kissed him.

And it really _was_ a happy Christmas.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Can I get a YAY for fluffy and festive Maddian? Wow, it's been so long since I've written a piece like this with different bits and pieces just thrown in there for the sake of it. This was so much fun to write oh my goodness. It literally just came out of me so quickly (if you follow me on tumblr, you may have seen my updates :P) and I just couldn't stop once I'd started:') Although I've proof-read it a few times there might be some mistakes. I was just v keen to get this up. It's fluff, and it's pointless, but it's also Maddian and it's cute and just...yeah. I hope you enjoyed it :)_

 _So...if I don't get another chance to say it before Christmas...Merry Christmas! Don't forget the reason for the season :)) If you're anything like me this year, you might not be feeling festive yet, but I hope this got you in the Christmas spirit :)_

 _Please review and let me know what you think!_

 _Love :* xxx_

 _PS. Don't forget to check out the beginning of the Ancient Grudge one-shots, "After It All"! :)_


End file.
